Celiac Disease

Improving the Futures of Children with Celiac Disease

At NewYork-Presbyterian’s children’s hospitals, we are redefining the futures of people with celiac disease by advancing research, patient care, and the education of doctors and the public. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that causes children to develop an inflammation of the small intestine when they gluten—a component of certain grains. This inflammation can progress and damage the villi, the small fingerlike structures lining the intestine which absorb nutrients. Such damage can prevent children from absorbing nutrients from food effectively, which can affect many of the body's organs and tissues and result in malnutrition.

Our physicians are world-renowned for their services and programs for children and adolescents with celiac disease. We have is one the first medical school-supported centers in the United States dedicated to the treatment and study of this disorder.

We use the latest diagnostic methods to facilitate a faster and more accurate diagnosis of celiac disease, which can sometimes be difficult to detect.

We may recommend an endoscopic examination of your child’s small intestine, when we would take a biopsy (tissue sample) to look for changes characteristic of the disease. This procedure is considered the gold standard for diagnosing celiac disease.

We provide counseling from a dedicated celiac disease nutritionist who will help you and your child plan and adhere to a gluten-free diet. With dietary changes, it is possible to stop and even reverse damage to the intestine caused by celiac disease, ensuring a healthier future for your child.